Dry spell may force Canal Corp. to drain reservoirs

If the current dry spell in northern and central New York continues, some reservoirs may need to be drained to keep boats afloat on the Erie Canal, state officials said.

If there isn't enough rain in the Adirondacks and the Tug Hill plateau to replenish the waters that feed the canal, the agency may also have to drain some of its 20 reservoirs in Oneida, Herkimer and Madison counties.

One of the Erie Canal's major feeders -- the Hinckley Reservoir in the southern Adirondacks -- is at it's lowest level since 1915. Rainfall in the western Adirondacks this summer was 8 to 10 inches below normal, according to the National Weather Service.

Draining the reservoirs would be a last resort, said Canal Corporation Director Carmella Mantello. A decision could come by the end of September.